fefel



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.-

H. H. FEFEL.

SEWING MAGHINE.

No. 426,256. Patented Apr. 22, 1890.

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UNITE STATES ATENT OFFICE.

HENRY ll. FEFEL, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO HELEN A.BLANCHARD, OF SAME PLACE.

SEWING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 426,256, dated April22, 1890.

Application filed February 13, 1888. Serial No. 263,774. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IIENRY H. FEFEL, acitizen of the United States; anda resident of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented certainImprovements in Sewing-Machines,

of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to effect the tucking, plaiting, orshirring of fabrics rapidly and accurately by means of asewing-machine,and this object I attain in the manner hereinafter set forth, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l isalongitudinal section, partly in elevation, of sufficient of asewing-machine to illustrate my invention. Fig. 2 is a transversesection of the same; and Figs. 3 to 7, inclusive, detached views,illustrating details of construction and modified formsof parts of themachine.

A is the bed-plate of the machine, having an arm B, in which is guidedthe usual presserbar 0 and the needlebar D, the latter being operated bya cam on the main shaft, acting through the medium of the pivotedneedlearm, while another cam on said shaft acts to effect thereciprocation of the shuttle E, which is guided in a race below theworkplate, as usual. The needle-bar carries two needles a, which can beadjusted laterally on the needle-bar, so as to provide more or lessspace between them, and the needle-hole in the work-plate is elongatedlaterally, so that both needles can pass through the same, the shuttlepassing through the loops of both needles, and one shuttle-thread tyingor looking the loops of both needle-threads on the back of the fabric.

On the work-plate in advance of the needles and occupying a positionmidway between the two needles is a raised rib b, which is preferablyadjustable as toheight by means of a controlling-"screw d, as shown inFig. 3, or by other equivalent means, so that as the work is fed to theneedles it is compelled to pass over this rib, and is thereby tucked orplaited, the needles descending on opposite sides of this tuck or plait,and the stitches of the needle-threads being drawn together he neath thetuck by means of the single looking or shuttle thread, so that the tuckis firmly sewed together at its base, the width of the tuck or plaitbeing regulated by the adjustment of the rib b, as will be readilyunderstood. The presser-foot J is split or slotted, as shown in Figs. 1and 4:, so as to permit the passage of the tuck or plait through thesame, and that part of the presser-foot on one side of the rib b and inadvance of the needles is preferably raised, so that it does not confinethe fabric or prevent the movement of the same toward the rib for thepurpose of being tucked. To facilitate tucking, the rib b may in somecases be set at an angle, as shown in Fig. 5, so as to gather thematerial together as it is fed toward the needles.

In the rib Z) is preferably formed an opening f, through which a cordmay be passed, this cord being fed into the tuck and confined thereinwhen said tuck is sewed together at the base, so that it may act as adrawing-cord, by which the fabric may be shirred; or, if desired, theshirring of the fabric maybe effected at the same time that the sewingoperation is performed, the feed-plate in this case comprising two partsm and or, one in front of and the other behind the needles, that part onof the plate in front of the needles being carried by a bar to, acted onby a cam it, having a greater throw than the cam so, which acts upon thebar 68, carrying the plate it behind the needles, so as to cause thefeeding of the fabric toward the needles faster than the rear feed takesit away from the same, the surplus fabric being shirred before the S5sewing of the tuck or plait is effected. Acam 3 acts to lift bothfeed-bars, and a spring y effects the retraction of said bars.

Another means of effecting differential feed is shown in Fig. 6, inwhich the two bars are 0 under control of an arm one of the bars bearingupon the same at a point farther from the fulcrum than the bearing ofthe other bar, and in Fig. 7 still another means of effecting theoperation of the forward feed is illustrated, a lever 15 hung to theframe of the machine being acted upon by a pin 15 on the needle-bar asthe latter rises, and the lower end of the lever feeding the materialforward over the top of the rib Z1.

Although in carrying out my invention I prefer that a shuttle should beused, I do not limit my claim thereto, but intend to include thereinabobbin-carrier,lo0per, or other wellknown equivalent of the shuttle.

Having thus described my invention, therefore, I claim and desire tosecure by Letters Patent l 1. The combination, in a sewing-machine, ofstitch-forming mechanism consisting of a pair of spaced needles, afeed-plate, a shuttle or equivalent device operating in con j unctionwith both needles, and means for actuating said parts, with a plate overwhich the work is fed, said plate having in advance of and in line withthe space between the needles a rib projecting above the surface of theplate, whereby the fabric, as it is fed forward, will be passedcontinuously over the rib, and will have a continuous straight tuckformed in it, and the rows of'stitches will be formed on opposite sidesof the base of said tuck and tied together by the shuttle-thread beneaththe tuck, substantially as specified.

2. The combination, in a sewing-machine, of stitch-forming mechanismconsisting of a pair of spaced needles, a feed-plate, a shuttle orequivalent device operating in conjunction with both needles, and meansforactuating said parts, with a plate over which the work is fed, a ribcarried by said plate and projecting above the face of the same, and

means for vertically adjusting said rib, so as to vary the extent ofprojection of the same, said rib being located in advance of and in linewith the space between the needles, substantially as specified.

3. The combination, in a sewing-machine, of stitch-forming mechanismconsisting of a pair of spaced needles, a feed-plate, a shuttle orequivalent device operating in conjunction with both needles, and meansfor actuating said parts, with a plate over which the work is fed, a ribprojecting above the surface of said plate and acting continuously uponthe fabric passing over it, so as to form a continuous straight tucktherein, and a presser-foot split'or slotted for the passage of saidtuck and having the opposite side portions in different horizontalplanes, whereby when one portion bears on the fabric the other portionwill be above the fabric and will permit the latter to be drawn inbeneath it, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to-this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

HENRY H. FEFEL.

\Vitnesses:

WILLIAM D. OONNER, HARRY SMITH.

